Éowyn of Osgiliath, Lady of Emyn Arnen, Princess of the House of Éomund, White Lady of Rohan, Nazgûl-Bane, Osgiliath,

To Her Majesty Queen Undómiel, Arwen Evenstar, Queen of Gondor and Arnor, Beloved Friend and Wise Councilor, Minas Tirith,

Greetings.

O my dear friend it was delightful to foregather with you these past weeks, to see how my little ones blossom beneath your touch, and to know your tender hand guides them as well as does mine.  I thank you once again for your most generous gifts to my little Théodred, for the rocking-horse especially; Fastred did inquire of me after you had left, if it were of Dwarf-make or Elf-make; he said to me, "It seems to me clever and crafty like the Dwarves are, yet lovely and strong as are the Elves."  And when I did tell him it were fashioned by Lord Gimli of Aglarond he said with satisfaction:  "O!  Then I was right on both counts, Lady Mother; 'twas fashioned by a Dwarf who is friends with Elves."  Though he is not yet ten years I feel betimes he outshines those his own age; he has inherited Faramir's insight – praise the Valar for that! – but my love of combat, which is also gratifying.

I had chance to sit for a while with Legolas as we discussed, my friend, and speak with him most carefully concerning our fears for him; far from dismissing my anxiety he did heave a deep sigh, and said to me:  "It is the gray weather, or the Sea, or my grief, or my sudden leisure – I know not, my Lady – this malaise has gripped me about mine heart, but in loose and dissembling clutch, for I shall go along quite close to forgetting this tragedy of mine for a time, yet in an instant it shall overwhelm me, and I be oppressed with thick sorrow so that my limbs weaken and mine eyes dim."  "Do you yet feel culpable for their deaths?" I asked carefully, remembering what Círdan had said to us, that he took upon his head liability for their departure; he shook his head then and smiled faintly, saying, "Nay, that is but a small part of it, my Lady – ah, where shall I begin naming my griefs?  That I shall remain alone?  That I shall never sire sons?  That I did not return Laustairë's affections?  That Nardanë – "  Then he paused, and a look of deep regret suffused his features so that mine own heart nearly broke to see it; I pressed him:  "Yes, what of Nardanë?"  But he turned from me and said, his voice subdued:  "Nothing, my Lady – I would tell you, but it is not my secret."  So you were correct, my friend; there is more to this than we had thought – it does indeed involve the other maid as well as the Infant – but I will wager much gold that his regard for Nardanë was no deeper than his for Laustairë.  O that his heart were not so tender!  Gladly would I lend unto him mine own callousness, to shield him for a time from this grief; I like not to see him so dragged down; it is very unlike him, and I miss my merry Elf-Lord.  Well, perchance as Queen Edlothiel has said, when Gimli returns with little Bandobras we shall see a freshening of his disposition, and a turning of his winter to warmth.  Certain it is his tower is deplete of late, for with the brief respite in the weather we did see a grand egress of his guests, notably Cirien, Aldamir, Araval and Mardil, those four hardy and loyal friends of the Green Knight; there are few children now to lighten his halls with laughter, so I send Fastred and Hísimë to him as often as I may bear, for Edlothiel did tell me her son's countenance brightens considerably when they are near, and he can hear their dear voices.  Are there no orphans about, Arwen, that we might send unto him?  For surely were he able to keep about him young and blithe hearts and childish song his sorrow and regret could fade with time, obscured so beneath the frenetic and merry noise of youthful vitality that he scarce marked its passage.  Faramir has complained of late that Fastred and Hísimë spend more time with their "Lord Lassah" than with their own father; when I explained unto him my reasons for doing so he softened and relented, but reminded me that eventually the little Lord and Lady of Emyn Arnen must needs return to their own demesne, despite their love of the Elven Lord and his subjects.

I did fear the preparations for Kaimelas and Seimiel's wedding this spring would awaken in Legolas deeper feelings of regret and grief, but it is not so; so relieved is he to have Seimiel taken so completely from his Lady Mother's List of Desirable Maidens that he has devoted much time and energy to the planning and provisions it shall rival any other wedding held so far in Osgiliath – his own included, from what I could tell – certainly far above what one would expect of a valet to an under-secretary, but as Seimiel was Queen Edlothiel's lady's maid, and Kaimelas until his injury upon Amon Din a high-ranking member of the militia, perchance it is not so strange.  Certainly those two are oblivious to any censure, being so deeply enamored of each other it is a wonder they can perform any court functions; fortunately Legolas is quite capable of dressing himself, and I am pleased to report he has given up the unrelieved black of mourning and clothes himself instead in green and brown.

Well that is all I have to recount; things remain as they have been these past months, with the Lord of Dol Galenehtar holding a puppet-self before his assemblies, miming good cheer and with pretense smiling yet dull; though Tyarmayél did tell me in secret ere I left she had had a letter from Hwindiö saying Gimli had reached Bree in good order and hoped to be in Rohan before the first thaw.  My Royal Brother shall send out scouts in five weeks' time to watch for their arrival; hopefully no further inclement weather shall delay them.

Give my humble regards to your noble husband, and bid him find another Ceremonies Master; I do not think Ethmor is up to the challenge, and I am spoiling for another Tournament next year.

With all tenderness of feeling and joy in our friendship,

Éowyn